1724: France Issues the Code Noir in Louisiana

Originally Published September 2025

In 1724, the French monarchy issued a revised Code Noir, or “Black Code,” specifically for the colony of Louisiana. Issued by King Louis XV at Versailles in March 1724, the law established a formal set of rules governing slavery, the treatment of enslaved people, relations between enslaved and free people, and the responsibilities of slaveholders. The Louisiana version contained 55 articles and was largely based on the earlier French Code Noir of 1685, which had been created for France’s Caribbean colonies.

The Code Noir attempted to regulate nearly every aspect of enslaved life. It required enslaved people to be instructed and baptized in the Catholic faith and placed restrictions on gatherings, movement, marriage, and relationships. It also established rules concerning food, clothing, religious observance, punishment, and the responsibilities of enslavers. At the same time, the code reinforced the fundamental legal status of enslaved Africans as property and gave colonial authorities a framework for maintaining the institution of slavery.

The law also addressed the status of free people of African descent and the process of manumission, or freeing enslaved people. Although the Code Noir recognized certain rights for legally freed people, it imposed significant restrictions and required official approval for many acts of emancipation. These provisions demonstrated the complicated and unequal racial hierarchy that French colonial authorities sought to establish and maintain in Louisiana.

The Code Noir became an important foundation of slavery in colonial Louisiana. While its provisions were not always followed consistently and local authorities and enslavers sometimes ignored or circumvented its requirements, the code nevertheless provided a legal framework for an expanding system of racial slavery. Its influence continued beyond the period of French rule, making the 1724 Code Noir an important document for understanding the development of slavery, race, law, and colonial society in Louisiana.

“Code Noir.” Centenary College of Louisiana, Centenary College of Louisiana.

Library of Congress. Code Noir. Library of Congress, Library of Congress.